Happy 2019 From Loetz.com

Loetz.com is starting 2019 with a bang! Hopefully, this announcement of the discovery of three new decors will get everyone excited for new possibilities for collecting Loetz in 2019. Our new decors include Ausf 83, Orbulin and Titania Gre 2510.

The discovery of these new decors would not have been possible without the time and talents of our Loetz Advisory Group, the Glass Museum Passau and collectors such as Reiner Linnenbach who generously share photos of the pieces in their collection to help further the mission of Loetz.com to preserve the history of this glass. Reiner’s photos of his Ausf 83 examples and one of his “pink Diaspora” pieces gave us the ability to document two of our newest décors.

Orbulin - For quite some time we questioned the differences between the smooth finish of Silberiris Diaspora examples and the rough finish variation found on all of the “pink Diaspora” examples and a few of the “crete Diaspora”. At the same time we were on a quest to discover the “Orbulin” décor never thinking the two may one day intersect. Over the past 5 years, many candidates for Orbulin were studied (i.e.; the PG 1/473 variants but these have only been found in green, a spotted unknown PG in Yellow and spreading brown, and other unknown decors that possess spots, circles or “orbs”) but we continued to hit dead ends. We needed that one, clear example that would help nail this décor. Then we recently received a photo from Reiner of a “pink Diaspora” example in his collection. It was PN II 2/658. Of the 40 different examples and shapes that we have of this décor, some got us close but none were the “silver bullet” that we needed to document “Orbulin” until the one in PN II-2/658.

Ausf 83 – In October 2018, the Loetz Advisory Group was able to study two examples of this décor out of the case at the Glass Museum Passau. Frankly, one of our reasons for wanting a closer look at these two examples is because we had seen many Murano and newer productions that looked similar to these made with the copper aventurine flakes. At the time, we also had the privilege, thanks to the generosity of Peter Hoeltl, of meeting with Dr. Jan Mergl, the father of the Loetz bible, and being able to discuss and ask questions about these and other examples in the museum. Dr. Mergl assured us that these examples were indeed Loetz which spurred us on to documenting this décor.

Titania Gre. 2510 – Not many examples of this décor were produced but our records show that all were made in dark blue and all have a pattern of 6 feathers drawn in Titania threads.

Finally, we would also like to publically recognize and welcome a new Advisory Group member, John Fitzgerald, to the team.